5 Signs of a Great Mentor

1. They challenge you.

One of the best ways to grow is to go outside of your comfort zone. For many people, it's difficult to make this choice, and even harder to follow through on it. Great mentors can see your potential and have worked to get to know you and what you are capable of. There is a bond of trust, so they would never put you in a compromising situation or ask you to do something that goes against your values.

2. They let you make your own mistakes.

Mentors give you a push in the right direction. They guide you based on their own past experiences, so that you can learn from what they did or didn't do and what they could've done better. Some explain their mistakes in detail and try to steer you away from making those same mistakes. Great mentors give you the facts objectively - explain their thinking and actions, as well as the consequences, but ultimately let you take your own course of action - even when that course of action leads to a mistake painfully similar to their own.

3. They support you no matter the outcome.

Sometimes we feel like our mistakes will be the end of the world. It can be lonely thinking that no one has ever made such a mistake before and never will again. Great mentors are there to help you realize that one mistake doesn't make or break a career and you often grow most in the wake of your mistakes. After all, it takes a special kind of character to own your mistakes and persevere until you find the best solution.

Great mentors remind you that you're not alone. They help you work through feelings, ideas, and solutions until you solve the problem. And they're there to help you celebrate your accomplishments! Not only does this encourage positivity and optimism, but builds confidence.

4. They lead by example.

Great mentors never ask you to do something they wouldn't be willing to do themselves. This isn't just about morality, but also humility. Servant leadership often feels like one of the rarest forms of leadership on display today. These leaders have a special form of humility that naturally invites personal connection and relatability. They value the job each person does because, more often than not, they have at least filled in or attempted the job at one point or another. This makes them more likely to appreciate the unique talents that each person brings to a team and the positivity that can come out of that diversity.

5. They don't hold you back.

Mentees should always have specific goals or dreams in mind that they want to accomplish and mentors should help them toward these milestones. Many times, these ultimate goals will lead mentees in new directions toward new opportunities. Great mentors recognize this, and even hope for it. Investing in another person can be difficult in many ways, but the benefits can continue in unexpected ways long into the future. Great mentors always remain excellent resources, even after their mentees become mentors themselves, hopefully continuing the cycle for the next generation.

Learning is a lifelong commitment and the friendships formed out of mentorships can last just as long.